Awaiting a Brand New Day
by Sparky1834
Summary: Katara is invited to a summit in the Fire Nation four years after the war has ended. She reignites her friendship with Zuko, which quickly morphs into something much greater than she anticipated. For Zutara Week 2018. Post-canon, ignores comics. I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
1. Gentleness

**Hello!**

 **As this is my first time participating in Zutara Week, I'd like to start by clarifying a few things. I'll be the first to admit that this story doesn't have much plot. But we all know that if you're reading this, you're likely here for some good ole' Zutara fluff, anyway. :) Just a warning, you may see some tropes. There is also some implied Sukka. This first chapter will be the longest one, because it sets up the premise of the story. Rating is for safety; I don't go too far with anything. This is one continuous story, and not a series of one-shots. I don't own anything remotely related to Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

 **So without further ado, I present _Awaiting a Brand New Day_.**

* * *

 **Day 1: First Kiss**

I: Gentleness

 _"Fire Lord Zuko, with other dignitaries and representatives, has requested the presence of esteemed leaders of other nations for an international Summit, to be held exactly two weeks after Midsummer Day, at the Royal Palace of the Fire Nation. Such leaders will receive a temporary allowance to port at the docks free of charge, and will be accommodated with private living spaces and meals during their stay. The following individuals will be accounted for by default, and are requested to send a return letter indicating their unavailability, should they not be in attendance:_

 _Hakoda, Chief,_

 _Sokka, Master, son of Hakoda,_

 _Suki, Kyoshi Warrior, wife of Sokka,_

 _Katara, Master, daughter of Hakoda,_

 _Pakku, Master, friend of the Order of the White Lotus,_

 _Kanna, wife of Pakku_

 _Signed,_

 _Joko, Secretary of International Affairs, Fire Nation"_

Katara reread the letter and set it down on the small coffer beside her. The boat rocked gently with the waves beneath it. She loved being at sea – water, after all, was her element – but the summit couldn't come soon enough. She was so eager to see her friends again, to reminisce about the good times, catch up on recent happenings, and make more promises that they would all see each other soon.

She couldn't help but wonder if anyone had changed. The war ended four years ago, and as much as she loved those people who joined her in the effort for peace, she was pitiable at keeping up with them. After the war ended, she and Sokka quickly retreated to the South Pole to rebuild. It took over 3 years, but he _finally_ married Suki on Kyoshi Island, and they lived in the South so that Sokka could learn to inherit Chief duties. Aang had spent a year with her, but he would get antsy, and she wouldn't budge. Her duty was to her people, and his was to the world at large. He left, and most of his time was spent in the Earth Kingdom, but he seemed to not have much time to write her. Toph was doing who knows what. Last Katara heard, Toph had started earthbending classes in local communities, but Katara knew to interpret "teaching these guys a lesson!" as an entirely different endeavor that likely involved arenas. Zuko was, of course, Fire Lord, and probably never got to leave his palace. He did have Mai and Iroh to keep him company; however, the Fire Nation was the busiest of all after the war, so he scarcely had time for anything else.

This, Katara told herself, was why she was on a boat with her father, Sokka, and Suki. Master Pakku wouldn't go to the summit, claiming that his task was done and the world needed the younger generations to lead its affairs. Katara would use any reason to see her friends all together, and the summit was a welcome excuse.

She heard a knock at her cabin door. "Katara?" Hakoda's voice rang.

"Yeah?"

The door opened, and her father poked his head through. "Sokka and I just spotted the coast. We should be at port in a few hours. Unless, of course," he smirked, "you want to help speed things up?"

Katara perked up and grinned. "I'll be right there!"

Manipulating the waves to accelerate the boat was normally exhausting, so she didn't do it often. But with the end in sight, Katara was more than ready to shove the boat closer to land. She made her way to the prow of the boat, basking in the smell of the sea. The coast was faint on the horizon, and squawking birds were approaching.

 _It's time._

Katara exhaled a deep breath as she extended her arms out from her sides, palms down. Then in one smooth motion, she circled her arms up and around down her front, and the waves followed her command. The boat lurched forward with ferocity. The sea didn't stand a chance.

"A little warning next time would be nice!" Sokka groaned as he got up from being sprawled on the deck from the sudden force.

Suki giggled beside him. "Weren't you ready? What happened to those shrewcat-like reflexes?"

Sokka made a guttural sound in protest.

"He must have left them at home," Katara looked over her shoulder to reply. She couldn't help but be a key player in her brother's misfortunes.

He stood up straighter and lifted his chin. "I can't wait until we get off this boat. All this water trickery is just annoying. And it's been too long since I've had any fire flakes," he pouted.

"We're almost there," Katara said as she turned her head back toward their destination. "Then you can have all the food you could ever want."

Her statement seemed to calm him down. She heard him say something like "Mmm. Meat," but she had to concentrate on getting the boat safely to shore.

Land was quickly approaching. Within just ten minutes at the helm, Katara guided the boat through the harbor and to the dock. Hakoda tossed out ropes to Sokka and Suki, who had jumped out to moor the boat.

Fire Nation shipwrights waved at the Southern Water Tribe group as Katara exited the boat with her father, and Hakoda gave a polite wave back to them. A guard came up to him. "Greetings," he said as he held out a hand. "You must be Chief Hakoda. My name is Lieutenant Garzo. I am in charge of guiding the visiting entourages to the palace."

Hakoda took his hand and shook it. "Pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant." He gave a small bow and smiled as he presented his children. "This is Sokka, Suki, and Katara."

The five people all nodded in acknowledgement. "Very good," Garzo replied. "Please, follow me. Don't worry about your ship; it will be well taken care of during your stay."

The walk through town was surprisingly short. Of course, it didn't help that Katara and Sokka couldn't stop eyeing goods and wares through windows as they walked by the plethora of shops. Katara was so far loving this part of the trip. The streets were nothing like those in the South. She got a kick out of watching hagglers gain favor with store owners. She found herself walking at the same tempo as the music from street performers. But the excitement was over too soon as the group arrived at the palace gate.

"Jori," Garzo alerted one of the guards standing by the gate.

The guard straightened his back. "Yes, sir?"

"This is Chief Hakoda, Sokka, Suki, and Katara, from the Southern Water Tribe. Please give them their brief tour and show them to their rooms."

"Yes, sir. Right this way," the guard Jori held out a hand to wave them through the gate.

Garzo started to retreat and nodded at Hakoda. "Chief."

"Lieutenant," Hakoda nodded back.

"This, as you can see," Jori started as the group fell in step behind him, "is the front garden. Normally, the Fire Lord would greet his guests here, but seeing that you are two days early for the summit, my lord does not have the ability to greet you at this time. I must apologize on his behalf."

Katara's eyes widened as she took in the view. The garden was a series of tiered rock walls with patches of grass and flowering shrubs on each tier, showering the ground with reds, blues, and yellows. Stone walkways were intermittently wound throughout the grass. Tall trees lined the outside, obscuring much of the palace walls. The garden was large – larger even than Katara's war-time village.

"It is no trouble, Jori. He must be a busy man," Hakoda replied.

"Very much so, sir," the guard said as he led them through a large set of ornate double doors. "This is the entrance to common wing, which is where the banquet hall and meeting rooms are."

Once inside, Katara welcomed the shade of the roof overhead and the cool stone walls. She knew the Fire Nation was hot, so she didn't think the palace would be so chilly indoors. She was glad she thought to bring an extra cloak.

As the group approached the council rooms, Katara heard voices ringing from down the hall, no doubt reverberated by the flat stone around her. It sounded like two people were in a heated argument. She thought she recognized one voice as Zuko's, but changed her mind, because it was lower and more confident. Surely that wasn't him?

Her suspicions were confirmed as their group turned a corner and she saw Zuko glaring at who seemed to be an advisor. "I will _not_ discard those precious resources in such a way, Mister Tong. Please reconsider my amendment. We're done here."

"Of course, Your Majesty," the man gave a weak bow and shot a glance at the group as he stood straight. He promptly headed in the opposite direction, clearly disgruntled.

Zuko shagged his shoulders and exhaled. He turned his head their way. Katara started. His eyes had small bags under them, and some of his hair had escaped his topknot. He looked exhausted, yet his eyes caught hers and he shone a light smile. "Jori," he said as he walked closer. "I see our first guests have arrived."

"Yes, my lord." Jori bowed low, and everyone else started to follow suit.

"Stop," Zuko interrupted. "No relation of Sokka or Katara will bow to me. We are equals."

It took all of Katara's will to not run forward and hug him until his lungs hurt. She could see Sokka in her peripheral vision, and he was standing awkwardly, also seeming to want to greet his friend with an arm grab or a gentle jab on the shoulder. They both refrained.

Zuko spoke again, looking at Hakoda. "You're two days early, Chief."

"To be early is to be on time, Fire Lord," Hakoda replied, holding out his arm.

Zuko hastily grabbed the extended arm and couldn't help but smile. "That's what I like to hear." He shook his arm away. "Welcome to the summit. Please make yourselves comfortable."

It was almost as if he had given Katara unspoken permission. She stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around him. "It's so good to see you, Zuko!" She felt his arms on her back, reciprocating her hug. His body was warm and comforting. "It's been too long."

"Katara," he sounded incredulous and he stepped back. "You saw me six months ago, remember? At their wedding?" He inclined his head towards Sokka.

"That doesn't count. You were there for about two seconds and then had to go back to the Fire Nation for business. We didn't get to talk, let alone say 'hello'. Plus, we all said we'd visit each other, and you never did." She crossed her arms.

Zuko stiffened and glared at her, visibly discontented. "Neither did you."

The ensuing silence was maddening. She kicked herself internally that they had to greet like this.

Zuko's face softened. "I'm sorry. It's been a long week, preparing for this summit. Tensions have been high lately. We're not yet prepared for housing so many people."

"It's okay," Katara replied as Sokka and Suki hugged Zuko, one on each side.

"Hey buddy," Sokka began, "as long as there's food and a scapegoat for anything that goes wrong, we'll be just fine." They broke up their hug.

"Except that someone will probably be you," Suki chimed in, kissing him on the cheek.

The warrior's face turned pink. "Worth it."

Zuko cleared his throat. "As it is, I'm afraid I still have more work to do. The official start of the summit is in two days. I'll see you all there." He nodded before he turned to walk away. "Jori, you may continue showing our guests to their rooms."

"Yes, my lord," the guard replied, and Zuko disappeared around a corner.

* * *

Those two days were exciting at best and agonizing at worst. Most of the other guests arrived the day after Katara. Aang had flown in on Appa into the middle of the city streets, eliciting mostly cheers and only a few leering faces. He was quickly escorted into the palace, where Katara, Sokka, and Suki gave him a warm welcome. They showed him what they knew of the palace (Sokka was especially enjoying the banquet hall and the armory), before abruptly bumping into Toph, who had shown up seemingly out of nowhere. She said she came with King Bumi and "that sourpuss governor's family from Omashu."

Katara was just glad everyone was back together again. Except for Zuko, of course, who seemed to be holed up in his office the whole time. So, everyone else would find themselves in a central garden sparring, speculating on how the summit was going to go. They ran into Iroh several times, but he was usually busy assisting Zuko. Every guest got his or her own room; the palace was enormous, and it became quite the effort the navigate its maze-like halls, so most of the other guests tended to stay in their rooms so they wouldn't get lost. There were no set meal times. Food was always present in the banquet hall, and guests could arrive and eat on their own schedule.

Finally, the big day came for everyone to meet in the main council room at midday, beginning the first large meeting of the summit. Katara stood in front of the mirror in her room, trying to look presentable. She decided to wear a simple Water Tribe blue dress with elbow length sleeves and a moderate v-neckline. She finished off the look with a dark blue sash and slippers. She still never went anywhere without her mother's necklace. Her hair had two "loopies," but the rest remained straight down her back, held out of her face by a half ponytail.

"Knock knock, are you ready?" Suki waltzed in, wearing her Kyoshi uniform without the makeup. She stood in the doorway, hands on her hips. "Well you're looking nice today. Getting prepared to see a certain Fire Lord, are we?"

"What!?" Katara's face flushed. "No, why would you think that?"

Her sister-in-law smirked. "Oh, no reason. Only the fact that none of the Water Tribe boys could catch your eye, and here you are playing dress-up for a certain single someone."

"Am not," Katara retorted. "This dress happens to be a formal Water Tribe dress. I should look presentable as a representative of my tribe, should I not?" And then Suki's words came back to her. "Did you say Zuko's single? What happened to Mai?"

"You didn't hear? They broke up two years ago."

Surprise covered Katara's face. "Two years? Am I really that out of the loop?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Suki assured her. "It was a pretty hush-hush situation. I heard about it from Ty Lee. Mai loved him, but he apparently didn't feel the same way. It's a shame, really. She was one of the few people who could get along with him."

Suki paused in thought but continued, holding out her arm, "Well, regardless, the rest of the tribe is waiting for you. Ready?"

"Ready," Katara said as she linked her arm with Suki's. They walked a short distance down the hall and met up with Hakoda, Sokka, and Jori the guard.

Hakoda nodded to Jori, "We're all here. Lead on."

"Yes, sir. This way," the guard replied.

As they approached the meeting room, Katara could see that every one of the guests was being greeted by Zuko at the door. He looked regal with his layered robes, sharp pauldrons, and immaculate topknot. The assigned guard would introduce the visiting entourage, and everyone would shake hands with Zuko before entering the room. There were several groups ahead of the Southern Water Tribe. Katara recognized Toph and Bumi together, and who must have been Mai's parents, but without their daughter.

"Was Mai not invited?" Katara whispered to Suki.

"No, she was," the warrior answered. "She decided not to come. Didn't want things to get more awkward, what with the breakup. Last I heard, she's not living with her parents, but with some other nobles in the Fire Nation. I guess she really hates Omashu."

"Oh," the waterbender exhaled. She didn't dislike Mai; in fact, she had thought they could be decent friends after they got to know each other a little better in Ba Sing Se after the war. But another part of Katara didn't mind that the governor's daughter wasn't at the summit. It would have indeed made things more awkward.

It was the Water Tribe's turn to greet the Fire Lord.

"Your Majesty," Jori started, "from the Southern Water Tribe, I present Chief Hakoda, his son Sokka, daughter-in-law Suki, and daughter Katara."

"Yes, we've met," Zuko gave a small grin. Katara's eyes widened. She could have sworn he just winked at her.

Everyone had their turn giving Zuko a handshake. "Welcome. Jori will show you to your seats," Zuko added.

The group entered and found their seats, and within a few minutes, the doors closed and Zuko walked to the head of the table. Iroh was to his right. Aang sat directly to his left, and Katara's group was seated several seats down from Iroh. Toph was nearly across from her. Two Kyoshi warriors, one of which was Ty Lee, were allowed to sit next to Suki. They engaged in light chatter about how the warriors were doing. Finally, Zuko raised his hand and the room silenced.

"You are all here today to reignite the flame for the winds of peace," Zuko instructed. Katara chuckled internally. Iroh _had_ to have come up with that. "One hundred years is a long time for mistrust and resentment to spread. In the four years after that long war, we have gone above and beyond for the price of peace," Zuko looked around the room, "but we still have much to accomplish." He rested his fisted hands on the table and his face almost looked solemn. "Right here and right now, each of us must make peace the primary objective for the world and within our nations."

Several heads nodded in agreement. Katara's was one of them. Zuko's demeanor was becoming of his position. She softly smiled with proud admiration.

Zuko further spoke, "I will start the discussion by defining Fire Nation reparation efforts for the other nations…"

* * *

The meeting went much longer than anyone had anticipated. People were getting hungry, and tired, and therefore irritable. The discussions started out productive, but eventually grew to contain sensitive topics that brought about cold glares and obvious sighs. Even Aang's calming voice and peaceful presence did little for the atmosphere. Katara didn't say much, and it became somewhat frustrating to watch. She was admittedly relieved when Zuko adjourned the meeting. Everyone except the former Team Avatar left the room in a hurry. The gang moved into seats closer to Zuko.

When only his friends remained, Zuko gripped his head in his hands and rested his elbows on the table. "Shen," he called a manservant over, "bring me the strongest fire whiskey and four glasses."

"Yes, sir," the servant promptly left the room, and within a few moments, returned with the request.

"That will be all. Leave us," Zuko sounded as exhausted as he looked. The servant left the room, and the group of friends was alone.

"Four?" Toph seemed offended. "Why only four? There are six of us."

"You and Aang are underage. You don't get any," Zuko replied.

The earthbender crossed her arms and huffed at her bangs in resignation.

"Well that was…" Aang looked for something to say, "interesting."

"And not uncommon, unfortunately," the firebender said as he poured himself a drink and took a gulp and winced.

Sokka followed Zuko's example and filled his glass. "You mean all Fire Nation meetings end with people wanting to tear each other's throats out?" He put his glass up to his mouth and swallowed a mouthful, resulting in a harsh gag. "Ack! This burns!"

"Yes," Zuko said while smirking and swirling his drink. "Also, it's _fire_ whiskey after all."

Katara didn't want to try any of the whiskey. She got one whiff and decided against it. What she really needed was a cool glass of water. She wondered if she could get Zuko to call a servant back in…

Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Zuko's head hit the table and his hands sprawl out beside him. "Guys," he said to the hardwood, voice reverberating through the table, "Fire Lording is the worst job ever. It's so bad, I'd rather serve tea with Uncle than do this."

"Well, why make it worse?" Aang spoke up. "We could all tell some jokes or something, just to make the evening a little lighter."

"Ooh, yes! I'll start!" Sokka beamed. "Haru's mustache." He gawked. "Get it? Because it looks funny."

Katara facepalmed internally and rolled her eyes. "Sokka, he looked just fine."

"Yeah," Sokka retorted, "says the girl who fell for _Jet_."

"That was _one time_ , okay? Before I knew he was a jerk."

Her brother wiggled his eyebrows. "But apparently not enough of a jerk to not give him your first kiss."

Katara felt her face burning up. She didn't have anything to counter his jab.

"Jet?" Zuko perked up his head. "Your first kiss was _Jet_? As in the kid that stole things and chewed on grass and had a pair of hook swords?"

She looked down, almost ashamed. "Yes," she turned her head back up towards him. "But it was _one_ time, and he was charming and manipulative and I was gullible. I'm not entirely to blame."

"When did it happen?" Aang asked.

Katara sighed. "Remember when we first met the Freedom Fighters, and they had a little feast that night to celebrate harassing some Fire Nation soldiers? Well, later that night he took me on a walk, and we got talking, and…well we were caught up in the moment and it just sort of happened. But I swear, that was the one and only time." She looked around shyly. "After that, it was just Aang, and no one since we broke up."

"Whoa, okay Sweetness, we don't need your life story," Toph interrupted.

Katara was grateful she didn't have to give any more juicy details; instead, she could turn the attention onto someone else. "Why not, Toph? Are you so eager to tell us about _your_ first kiss?"

"Hah!" the earthbender guffawed. "Sure. It doesn't exist."

"Surely not, Toph," Suki questioned her. "Don't you have guys eternally crawling at your door?"

Toph grinned. "Oh yeah, lots of guys want my attention. Doesn't mean I have to pity them and give it to them. I may be blind, but I can see them for what they are. They're not worthy for the Toph-meister."

"What about you, Suki?" Katara asked. "Who was your first kiss? Was it Sokka?"

Suki's face reddened. "Yeah," she said sheepishly. "And, even though I wasn't his first, I don't love him any less." She rested her head on her husband's shoulder.

"True," Sokka chimed in. "My first kiss wasn't Suki, it was Yue. Yes, _the_ Yue. _The moon spirit_ Yue. Be jealous."

"I'm pretty sure we all know who Yue is at this point, Sokka," Zuko interrupted.

"Well, mine was Katara. You probably all knew that too," Aang added. "Okay, Zuko, your turn. Who was your first kiss?"

Zuko hesitated, calculating everyone's gazes before he looked down at the table. "Her name was Jin."

"Not gloomy Mai?" Sokka asked.

The firebender shook his head. "Not Mai. Jin was stalking me – or just fancied me, I'm really not sure which – when I served tea in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. She wouldn't stop coming into the shop. Then my conniving uncle made me go on a date with her. She was pretty, don't get me wrong, but dating wasn't something I wanted to pursue. Not when I could have been capturing Aang, for example. Dinner was seriously awkward. Then we went on a walk, I lit some lamps, and gave her a coupon to the tea shop. This was Uncle's idea, of course. Then she must have liked me, because she made me close my eyes and kissed me out of nowhere. I, um," he paused and cleared his throat, "may have kissed her back."

"Whoa, watch out everybody! We've got a ladies' man over here," Sokka announced.

"Well it was just her and Mai, so that's not exactly record-breaking," Zuko reminded him.

"So, you haven't tried courting anyone else since Mai left?" Katara asked.

He shrugged. "Haven't had the time. Some of the noblemen try to introduce me to their daughters or nieces, but I'm trying to focus on running my nation. Frankly, that's already a lot to ask for a twenty-year-old."

"I feel you," Aang piped in. "Being sixteen and the Avatar is no walk in the park, either."

Suki shifted in her seat. "We're all in this together, right? You guys don't have to do this alone." She took a sip from Sokka's glass and made a sour face. "Wow, this _does_ burn. The flavor is nice, though."

"I'm glad _somebody_ likes it," Zuko replied as he stood up with effort. "If you'll all excuse me, I'm exhausted and need to rest." He took one last swig of his whiskey. "See you in the morning?"

Sokka was the first of the others to stand up and stretch. "Yes. That is, if you'll be in the banquet hall in the morning."

"That is indeed where you'll find Sokka," Katara grinned at her brother.

"And me," Toph interrupted. The she noticed the incredulous faces around her. "What? I'm a growing teenager!"

Zuko waved at everyone as he exited the meeting room. "Sure. Good night, guys."

"…'Night," the others reciprocated, and parted ways to their own rooms.

* * *

When Katara got to her room, she replaced her dress with her sleeping robe. She debated going to bed, but decided to relax first with waterbending. She made off to wander the halls, careful to remember which routes she was taking. She came upon a small garden with a pond in the middle, inlaid with a small fountain. Hesitantly walking to the pond, she became aware of the serenity of the night and faint sounds of cicadas. Little turtleducks were nestled near the fountain, huddled together and sleeping. She had to waterbend quietly, so as to not disturb their peaceful slumber. A voice behind her made her jump and startled her out of her thoughts.

"Out for an evening stroll?" Zuko spoke firmly.

Katara looked over her shoulder. "Spirits, Zuko, you scared me. Also, be quiet, or you'll wake the turtleducks."

He came forward and stood beside her. The air around her was already getting warmer. His face was repentant. "Sorry," he said, giving her a small smile from the scarred side of his face. "What are you doing?"

Katara shrugged in resignation. "Well, I was _going_ to waterbend a bit. It helps me relax. You showed up before I could really get started."

"Your splashing is too loud. You'd wake the turtleducks in an instant."

"Not if I'm gentle," Katara retorted.

A small chuckle escaped his breath. "I'd like to see you attempt to be gentle. I don't think it's possible."

"What?" Her mouth gaped open. "I can be gentle!" Her voice rose.

Zuko's warm hand covered her mouth and he put a finger to his lips, leaning in. "Shh," he whispered, removing his finger to point at the turtleducks. "They're sleeping."

"Hmph," was all Katara could reply.

He moved his hand away from her face. "That's what I thought," he smirked.

But something strange happened. He did not move away. In fact, it seemed he was getting closer to her. She was mesmerized by his warmth, his calming presence, his gentle acceptance of the nearby turtleducks. For some reason, Katara couldn't flinch away. There was something about Zuko in that moment that made Katara realize that she'd been needing this friendship. Yes, she was great friends with Sokka, but they would never physically end up this close. Aang had been one of her best friends, but she couldn't see herself as being happy with him. Zuko, however, was a different entity entirely. She wanted to grow this friendship, make it bloom like an eager flower pining for the sun's rays.

"So…" Katara began, "what are—"

—his mouth on hers eradicated any further discussion.

His lips were warm, and softer than she would have expected. One of his hands cradled her face as his opposite hand was on her waist. Without thinking, she leaned further into him, basking in his scent. But her brain caught up with her body. She put her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him away.

"Are you drunk?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I don't think so," he responded, slightly confused. "Would you like me to be?"

She hesitated before grabbing his hand. She refused to break eye contact. "No, I need you to have full awareness and recognition of what you're doing."

"You're right," he shook his head, almost scowling. "That was out of line. I must apologize."

"Well," she knew how dangerous things could get when he hated himself, "I didn't say our first kiss was _bad_ by any means."

He put an arm around her waist. "Not a bad first kiss?"

"No, not bad. In fact," she leaned on her toes and laced her arms around his neck. "It was perfect."

This time, it was her turn to start the kiss.


	2. Appreciation

**Day 2: Letters**

II: Appreciation

The first week of the summit followed the same patterns as the first day, but with even more meetings. The days would start with smaller councils. One meeting might have two visiting groups, such as the Northern Water Tribe with the Southern Water Tribe, or the Air Nomads (which was just Aang) with the Fire Nation. Katara found that some meetings didn't even have an agenda, so the summit members would take those opportunities to fraternize with each other and snack on hors d'oeuvres. The big meeting with all the visitors would take place in the evenings. Some ended in verbal havoc, but they were enlightening nonetheless.

At the close of every night, Katara would venture back to that same spot at the turtleduck pond. The turtleducks were always asleep by the time she got there. She soon concluded that she wasn't there to waterbend, wasn't there to play with the turtleducks, wasn't there to spend her nights in quiet solitude. No, she was there to make up for lost time. Time she never spent writing and exchanging letters with her friends. Time she never spent visiting them in the Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom. Time she never spent paying any attention to the fawning potential suitors back home. These moments at the turtleduck pond gave her the relief that _finally_ , she knew what happiness could feel like, even if she was only visiting. _Finally_ , she knew what she was missing for four years.

And he came for her each time.

Every night, she stood by the pond, gently swirling the water with her bending. And every night, Zuko would be there, talking to her, laughing with her, comforting her, hugging her. She wouldn't trade those nights for the world. Zuko quickly became the best friend she didn't know she needed. They shared each other's worst secrets and deepest desires. Katara would vent her frustrations on how the South was consistently having one setback or another in the rebuilding effort. Zuko would console her and relate with misfortunes of his own. On those nights at the turtleduck pond, they both lived as though they were not a chief's daughter or the Fire Lord. There in that inconsequential garden, they could simply be two people growing to appreciate the other in ways they never thought possible.

The days were another matter, filled with tiring responsibilities and forced formalities. After the first week, however, members of the summit got a two-day respite. Many of the visitors left the palace to tour the city. Aang took his friends on rides on Appa, after which they'd come back to the mainland and play on the beach. Katara and Toph relished in the extra space in which to bend. With the ocean at Katara's disposal and plenty of earth for Toph to toss around, they would find themselves sparring and making a complete mess of the beach.

"So," Toph said to Katara during a sparring session while others were out of earshot. "I hear you're having play-dates with Sparky." She wiggled her eyebrows as she tossed a mooselion-sized boulder at Katara's head. "Care to spill?"

"What?!" Katara flushed as she formed a razor-sharp water whip to break up the boulder before it could hit her. "Who told you that?"

The earthbender shrugged. "No one. I said _I hear_. Your room isn't so far from mine I can't feel when you've left your room and met up with a certain firebender who's strangely light on his feet."

Katara put her hands on her hips. "Fine. You caught me. But please don't tell anyone."

"Why not?" Toph pushed her foot forward into the ground, sending a quick wave of sand towards the waterbender. "Are you ashamed?"

"I'm not ashamed of spending quality time with Zuko," Katara replied, creating a shield of ice around her to avoid the hot biting sand. "I just don't want him or myself to get into any trouble. You've seen how unrelenting some of his councilmembers are. If anything, _he_ 's the one who should be ashamed of spending time with _me_ , a lowly peasant." She smirked at herself. He would sternly refute that statement.

It was that moment that Aang and Sokka and Suki came over to them. "Hey guys," the airbender greeted, "Zuko said I could go to the palace library today and take a look around. I wanted to read up on Avatar Roku. Want to come with?"

"Sure," Katara smiled back at him. She enjoyed sparring with Toph but didn't mind having other things to do.

"A library? I think I'll pass. Come get me when you're done. I'm still working on my sandbending," Toph said as she bended a stool and sat on it.

"All right. I'll come get you later. Everyone else, hop on!" Aang excitedly led his friends onto Appa, and the sky bison took off into the air.

When they got Appa settled back in the palace stable, they had to ask nearby guards how to get to the library. They followed the directions most of the way, but stopped when they turned a corner and literally bumped into Zuko and Iroh.

"My apologies," Katara blurted before she realized who she ran into. Her eyes widened in astonishment. "Oh, hi Zuko, Iroh." She thought she could feel her face heating up.

"Hi, Zuko. We were just headed to the library," Aang spoke up.

Iroh gave Zuko a sideways glance and a small encouraging nod.

"Perhaps I'll take you the rest of the way? Wouldn't want you to get lost, now would we?" Zuko asked.

His uncle smiled. "Indeed, you should go with. You're getting behind on your history lessons."

"Uncle," Zuko's face was flat. "I haven't had a history lesson in seven years."

"My point exactly!" Iroh contended. His arms gently shoved Zuko towards his friends. "Yes, you should go. I will bring some tea for everyone!" And with that, he vanished much quicker than what should have been possible at his age.

Zuko instinctively pinched the bridge of his nose. "Right this way," he said as he led them down more hallways.

They arrived at an enormous set of double doors that spanned from the floor to the ceiling. They were intricately inlaid with gold paint that took the shape of two dragons, each blowing fire towards the other. The handles ran the whole length of the door and were carved with large swirls painted red and gold.

"Here it is," Zuko walked inside and held the door open for the others. He shrugged. "It isn't much, but it's probably got what you're looking for."

Katara realized that that was the understatement of the century. The room was extremely spacious, with tall vaulted ceilings and bookshelves lining the entire room, with what was probably thirty bookshelves in rows in the middle of the room. Placed at the end of each row of shelves was a small table and chair. Each table had an inkpot, a candle, and a stack of parchment on top.

She glanced around to see if everyone else's reaction was the same as hers. Sokka's mouth was gaping open. Suki and Aang both had wide eyes, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"So I can look at anything I want in here?" Aang finally asked when he was done taking in the view.

"Go ahead," Zuko replied. "I don't have anything to hide."

With that, Katara set off to explore the endless array of books and scrolls. She wasn't looking for anything in particular, but would pull something off of its shelf if it caught her eye. She came up to a shelf labelled with a small sign that said "Fire Lord Education" that piqued her interest. "Zuko," she said to the area around her, hoping to get his attention.

"Did you find something interesting?" Zuko came around the corner of the bookshelf and shuffled up to her.

"What's this shelf?"

He eyed the bookshelf and grinned. "Let's find out, shall we?" He grabbed the nearest stack of parchment bound together with cords. He unrolled the cords and looked at the first page. His face blanched and his voice rose. "They kept these?!" He gripped the bridge of his nose for the second time that day.

"What? What is it?" Katara looked over his shoulder and observed the characters on the page. She could see a date at the top of the page, along with what looked like a name. The rest of the page was littered with characters that she was wholly unfamiliar with. For all she knew, they were just random shapes.

Zuko's breath came out in a huffy sigh. "All progeny of the Fire Lords undergo a royal education in their youth. They take classes taught exclusively by the Fire Sages, topics ranging everywhere from arithmetic to history, letters to philosophy, and so forth. Azula and I had to take these classes, and so did my uncle and my father, and my cousin Lu Ten. My mother didn't have to, since she wasn't born into the royal family. These," he held the papers in front of her face, "happen to be my notetaking during the letters class."

Katara furrowed her brow in confusion. She looked at him incredulously. "You have a whole class on how to write and send letters?"

"No," the Fire Lord responded. "The class _is_ letters. Characters, languages, grammar, penmanship, and so on. It was my least favorite of all the courses of instruction, and, based on how I wrote then and how I write now," he glanced again at the parchments, "I wouldn't say my handwriting has improved any." He chuckled.

She looked again at the characters on the page. She couldn't make sense of any of it. What language was it? The shapes were meticulously angled, and the curves seemed to make the characters more elegant. They were just ink on a page to her. "I can't even read it," she said with a longing in her voice. "I guess the South Pole needs a letters class, too."

"Of course you can't. This is in Fire Nation dialect," he responded in a low voice, calm eyes assuring her. "Everyone in the Fire Nation learns this in school, although most of us prefer to read, write, and speak in the Common Speech. It's much simpler, if you ask me."

"Oh," Katara hugged herself. "Why do the Fire Sages keep these?"

"An excellent question, my dear," Iroh sprang up from behind them. He proffered two steaming cups of tea. "I would imagine they like to see their progress. Think of it as keeping tabs on the Fire Lord. The more he knows, the more responsible he is. If he is unaware of an issue, or if he cannot add his numbers correctly, or if his decrees are not even legible, he surely cannot be depended on to lead a nation, now can he?"

Katara took a cup of tea, smiling in response. "Thank you, and I suppose you're right."

"Uncle, Katara," Zuko nodded at them and took the other cup of tea, "as much as I like being here talking about my atrocious penmanship, I'm afraid I need to meet with some councilmen before the next meetings tomorrow. I assume I'll see you both at dinner?"

"Okay," Katara responded shyly. Before she was truly aware of what was happening, before her stomach could flutter, before her heart could skip a beat, Zuko had touched her hand and leaned down to press a light kiss on her cheek. And then he was gone.

Her mouth made an "o" in surprise, and her face burned. She could swear she saw Uncle giggling. She nearly dropped her tea.

"The petals, engulfed with light, await a brand new day, the blistering sun peaks above the horizon," Iroh finally spoke.

Katara almost reached her hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. Zuko's habits were catching up to her. "Uncle, that's a pretty scene, but it doesn't mean anything."

"Perhaps not right now, but humor an old man and think about it," he replied, his gentle voice imploring.

"We'll see," Katara was beginning to wonder if Iroh was crazy, even though she couldn't help but be otherwise inspired by him. He seemed to have more wisdom than Wan Shi Tong, the reincarnation of wisdom itself. He was never cruel or foreboding, and he would always nudge his nephew to live up to his full potential. Zuko's uncle was by and large the father he never had. As a result, Zuko was a better man than his father ever was. Zuko was someone who would never give up without a fight, someone who was true to his word, someone she could confide in. Someone she could love. This gave her an immense appreciation for everything Iroh has truly done for Zuko.

It was then that Katara got an idea. "Iroh, do you think you could teach me some of these Fire Nation letters? I think it would be good for me to know."

Iroh grinned widely at her. "But of course, my dear!" He led her to the nearest table, indicating for her to sit down, and he pulled up another chair. She took off the top parchment from the blank stack, and he got his pen ready. "We'll start with how to write your name…."


	3. Impress

**Day 3: Tea**

III: Impress

Katara and Iroh sat in the library for the better part of an hour. Aang had found a personal diary of Avatar Roku's to take to his room, and he left the library to retrieve Toph from the beach. Suki found an anthology on Fire Nation myths and legends, and she could be found curled up in a large plush chair on the other side of the library. Sokka was next to her, engrossed in a book on war strategies, which he said was written over one thousand years ago. Katara wondered why he would need such a book now that the war was over, but he couldn't help but be sufficiently entertained.

As for Katara, she was trying to enjoy the letters lesson Iroh was giving her. Some moments were undoubtedly frustrating: why couldn't this curlicue go down instead of up? why were the characters so rigid? why was this other character suddenly smaller than the others? She had so many questions, and she felt like she left with even more. Iroh was very patient with her. She seemed to learn how to write her name fairly quickly, but she got lost in trying to memorize how to write everyone else's names. Iroh taught her some of the basic words, pronouns like "I" and "we", the symbols for all four elements, the formal nomenclature for "Fire Nation", and so forth. Frankly, it was overwhelming her, but she was glad she took that time to learn.

Once she was done in the library, she headed off to her room with a handful of small blank parchments and a pen and inkpot. Now that she knew basic characters, she knew exactly how she was going to use them. It may have been impulsive. It may have been rash, or unheard of, or downright insane. She had to do this; her mind was made up.

Katara got to her room and set her things on the small bedside table. She pulled up a chair, and she began practicing the characters. She traced over the notes Iroh had let her keep. This message was important and had to show the effort put into it. She practiced the lines and curls slowly, trying to get the motions into muscle memory.

Then, when she thought she was ready, she pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and began writing her note in her steadiest hand imaginable. It was only a few characters, and it took up very little of the page, but she knew he would get the meaning. It would be impossible to miss. She put her pen down when she was done, looking over the characters in satisfaction. Finally, she folded up her note and stuck it in a pocket in her dress. Her heart started beating slightly faster as she realized the hard part was imminent. How would she give him the message?

She thought it over thoroughly. She couldn't give her note to Zuko during dinner. It would just raise unwanted attention from everyone else. And she couldn't leave it in his office. What if a servant found it? Or worse, Iroh? Her face burned at the embarrassment that hadn't even happened. She then decided she would give Zuko the note when they met up at the turtleduck pond that night. Yes. That's when she'd do it. Once she handed it over, there would be no going back.

* * *

Dinner was surprisingly uneventful, held in a private dining hall featuring just Team Avatar and Iroh. It seemed that no one was eager for the summit meetings to start up again the next day, so everyone was content to eat dinner in a pleasant peace. There wasn't much joking from Toph, who appeared to be exhausted from her sandbending all day. Suki and Sokka made small talk with Iroh about some of the legends Suki had read about. Aang told Zuko that they were spirit-related to each other, to which Zuko vehemently responded in the negative, resulting in a bout of laughter from the rest of the small group. In all, it was a relaxing dinner of spicy pig chicken and coconut rice.

If Katara were being honest with herself, she was quite enjoying the Fire Nation and being in the palace. She almost didn't want the summit to end. Yes, she missed home, especially during the temperate summer. But she couldn't shake the feeling that she was welcomed in the Fire Nation. She and Iroh got along swimmingly, and she would sometimes slip and call him "Uncle," to which he would simply pat her shoulder and accept the familial greeting. The Fire Nation nobles weren't wholly pleasant to deal with, but she had gotten to know the names of a few and could even generate polite conversation with them. Sokka and Hakoda couldn't get along with them quite as well, and Katara could tell they were eager to head home once this second and last week of meetings was over. Toph hardly wanted to be at the summit in the first place, but she wouldn't pass up any opportunities to gather with friends and poke fun at them.

Katara smiled as she looked around at her ragtag group of friends. She would miss them all wholeheartedly when it was time for them all to leave for their homes. There was one, sitting at the head of the table, that she would miss more than others. He would soon know how she felt about him, and she wondered how he would take it. Would he laugh at her? Would he hug and accept her? Would he stand frozen like a statue in astonishment?

When dinner was over, Katara found herself trudging to the turtleduck pond. She was suddenly apprehensive. _What if he doesn't feel the same way?_

The turtleducks were still awake, preening themselves after their swim. Katara gently walked towards them and leaned down to pick one up. She scratched its head and it hopped excitedly between her hands. She sat on the grass facing the pond and saw Zuko enter the garden from the corner of her eye.

"Hi," she said, still caressing the turtleduck as she turned her head.

"Hi," he responded and sat next to her. "I have something for you." He pulled out a small loaf of bread from his pocket.

"For me?" Katara asked quizzically.

Zuko shrugged. "Well, for you to give to the turtleducks, if you want."

She set the turtleduck down on the grass and it flapped its wings in anticipation. "Okay, sure," she said as she took the bread and started breaking it apart. She tossed some pieces in the general direction of the turtleducks and set the rest down by her feet.

"My mother used let us play here when we were younger," Zuko started. "It didn't get much attention after she left." His face showed a longing regret of his mother's time cut short.

"It's a beautiful little garden," Katara assured him and patted his knee. "I'm sure if your mother were here, she'd be right next to us, feeding these turtleducks."

He smiled and grabbed her hand. "I don't doubt it."

She looked down at his hand intertwined with hers and hesitated. It was now or never. "I have something for you, too," she said as she reached into her pocket with one hand and squeezed his with the other. She pulled out the note and handed it to him. "Here."

"A note?" he raised his good eyebrow and let go of her hand to open the parchment.

She held her own hands and fiddled her fingers together expectantly, silently awaiting his response. If he took the message well, she would be satisfied that her hard work learning the letters paid off, and she could finally get her feelings off her chest. If he didn't like the note, then it was a good thing she was going home in a week, and they could both forget about the whole thing.

Zuko's eyes scanned the note. His face was blank.

"You wrote this?" he asked, eyebrow still raised as he flashed the note in her direction.

"…Yes?" This time, Katara was confused. "Is it not okay?"

"Do you know what this says?"

Katara's eyes widened and she had to concentrate on not looking too embarrassed. "I think so? I don't know anymore," she admitted. Iroh's lesson might have been too hasty. She likely didn't learn as much as she thought she did.

"It says 'Zuko, I love tea. Katara.'" He laughed. "I learn something new about you every day, Katara."

She buried her face in her hands and sighed. "Ugh. That's… that's not what it's supposed to say. It's like that's all Uncle wanted to teach me. Why do there have to be _three_ different characters for "tea"? And why is the character I used so agonizingly close to the character for y-" She caught his eye as she brought her head up to look at him. She moved her leg to rest her head on her knee and stared at the fountain in the pond. "Never mind."

"Katara?" Zuko leaned in closer to her and put his hand on her back, gently massaging her with his fingertips. "What did you intend to write?"

She shook her head as she stubbornly fought upcoming tears. "It doesn't matter, Zuko. Just forget about it."

He slightly flinched away. "Hey, I'm sorry. What did I do this time?"

"It's not you. It's the fact that I can't get these stupid characters right, and my wasted effort to impress you just completely failed."

"Katara," his voice was stony and unbelieving, "you have no idea how impressed I am. This penmanship is marks above what mine looks like. You worked hard and I'm proud of you. You didn't have to learn any of these characters in the first place, and here you are writing notes after _one day_ of instruction."

By the end of his encouragement, Katara felt a new love for her friend. She tossed the last of the bread bits to the turtleducks and stood up, pulling him up with her. She bombarded him with a fierce hug, her arms around his neck. Her head nestled against his shoulder, which was sure to get wet from her tears. "Thank you, Zuko."

They stayed in that hug for a long time. She cried. He comforted. Their bodies seemed to fit like a hand in a glove. His hands rubbed circles along her back, while hers were tight around him.

Finally, she sighed and let go. Her hand graced his arm and grabbed his hand on the way down. His other hand found its way to her other shoulder. He looked her straight in the eye. She blinked away some tears and met his gaze.

"You," he started, "are beautiful, and wonderful, and immaculately talented, Katara. Don't you ever doubt that."

She choked another sob and gave him a small smile. "Okay," she said as her free hand made its way to his cheek.

"And if it's any assurance…" Zuko hesitated.

"Yes?" she waited.

"I love tea, too."

And with those four words, Katara found herself lunging forward and sharing with Zuko a deep kiss, full of love and longing, of affection and affirmation, of solace and serenity. He was the one who could calm her fears. He was the one to show her love when she needed it most. He was the sun to lighten her life when the darkness had lingered too long. He was her home.

It gnawed at her inside to know that this time next week, she would on a boat headed back to the South Pole.


	4. Duty

**Day 4: Turtleduck**

IV: Duty

The conclusion of the summit approached much too quickly. The meetings were productive in the strangest of ways. More often than not, people found themselves with new friendships they never would have had otherwise. King Bumi, for instance, meshed very well with over half of the Fire Nation nobles. Chief Arnook from the North unexpectedly got along with the governor's family from Omashu. Hakoda had surprisingly warmed up to Zuko. Apparently, one hundred years of hostility couldn't help the fact that humans were a social being, and bringing people together for food and drink was a fine way to ameliorate tensions. Yes, there were disagreements and frustrations, but many of the leaders began to see eye-to-eye. Discussions became more amiable when peace was the main goal.

This was only one of the reasons Katara was so torn when the summit was over. She had spent all day of nearly two weeks getting to know the leaders of the other nations and making real progress towards world peace. But existing problems in the South Pole wouldn't mend themselves, especially if the whole Chief's family was away. She knew in her heart that she was invaluable in the restoration effort of her native land. She had to go back home.

She was fortunate that Zuko was understanding of her situation. During that last week, he would meet up with her every night at the turtleduck pond, much like how he would during the first week of nights. They would talk, laugh, feed turtleducks, and quietly spar. During this evening respite, they were not immune to heated arguments and hurt feelings. But even among the quarrels, they would apologize to each other and overcome their petty opinions. They grew so close that the thought of leaving was agonizing. Her heart belonged in too many places.

The last day of the summit was more of a formality than having actual meetings. The Fire Lord spent this day bidding farewell to all of his guests, and they were all to leave the next morning. The last big meeting that night with each of the nations seemed like a party instead of an avenue for intense international discussions. There were plenty of fire flakes, hot cakes, and fruit tarts going around, and goblets of wine were emptied with enthusiasm. People told stories of greatness and heroism, of love and loss, of families and friendships. Some said that the Fire Nation had never seen a merrier gathering.

Katara's last night with Zuko at the turtleduck pond was bittersweet. She couldn't stay long; she still had to pack her things before morning. But that didn't stop them from sitting idly by the pond, holding hands and tossing bread.

"I'll be sure to write you more," Zuko mentioned. "It would be unacceptable not to, after all this time."

She gulped and nodded. "You're right. I'll write more, too. Hey, I might even practice writing some more Fire Nation characters!"

"If that's what you want," he responded, squeezing her hand. "Although, for your information, not all of the characters mean 'tea'."

She swatted his shoulder. "I know that." She caught his incredulous look and laughed. "Okay, _now_ I know that."

A quiet calm surrounded them. Zuko looked out into the pond, lost in contemplation. A turtleduck waddled up to them. "I'll miss this. I haven't had such a real friend in, well, ever, really," he said as he patted the turtleduck.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. I know you have more real friends than this turtleduck," she joked as she reached around him and picked up the turtleduck. "And I'll miss you, too, little guy," she gave it a soft smile and ruffled its feathers.

Zuko couldn't help but grin. "I love you," he slipped.

Katara's forehead stretched as high as it could go, her blue eyes wide with shock. She couldn't respond. She didn't know if she was ready for this. She heard herself exhale without any words, her breath almost catching.

His face suddenly shone with realization. "Wait, I mean, uh…," it was too late. He blushed as red as his scar. "Gah," he said as he gripped his hair in his hands.

Embarrassed Zuko was cute, she decided.

She leaned over to him and kissed his cheek. Before she could pull away, he spun his head to face her and planted a kiss full on her lips. Katara slowly pulled back, ending the short kiss with a high-pitched _smack_. His golden gaze locked her into place, and her face remained mere inches from his own. He reached up to gently cup her face with both hands, eyes searching hers to see if the feelings were mutual. He brought her head down to meet his forehead with hers.

"Oh," she said, understanding finally dawning on her. Zuko meant every word he said, slip-up or not. That note she wrote the week before? She knew what it meant to say, and so did he. Nothing was more genuine than what they shared. It had occurred so quickly, and it would be something she would neither forget nor regret. This was not an evanescent infatuation. No, this was true friendship, understanding, and caring – a certain kind of love that would last a lifetime and transcend national borders.

"Zuko," Katara whispered, pulling her head back to look at him. His hands were still holding her face. "I don't know how it happened, but I think I might love you, too."

Those words were apparently all they needed before their lips found each other again. This kiss felt more hungry and impassioned. Katara's heart beat faster as she pressed her lips even harder into his. Her crisscross sitting position got more difficult to maintain, and she shifted her weight to unfold her legs and lean sideways on one arm. Zuko's body began to mirror hers, one arm out to hold his weight, and the other cradling her waist. His lips were warm and soft and excruciatingly inviting. She parted her mouth slightly, waiting for his response. She felt his tongue trace her lips, and her stomach started doing backflips. The breaths coming from their noses intensified.

Katara's arm holding her weight locked and wobbled, and she fell into the grass, breaking their kiss. She giggled softly. But she was interrupted by Zuko looming over her, gently replacing his lips onto hers. These kisses were slower and tamer, but nonetheless full of sensations that Katara probably shouldn't respond to. Before she knew it, her hands gripped his hips and delicately pulled him even closer. He leaned onto his side beside her, propped up by his forearm near one side of her head, and his other hand on the other side. She then turned onto her side to make it easier for him, and they were both lying horizontally, facing each other. Their feet intertwined. Zuko's hand found its way back to her waist, and hers rested on his cheek. The kiss was still going, broken up only by the addition of more kisses. Katara relished the sensation of his warm hand on her side, but it soon started to travel towards her legs…

She broke the kiss and grasped his arm. "Wait. I don't…I don't want to get too carried away." She started to stand up and straighten out her dress.

Zuko nodded. "You're right," he said as he stood and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"I need to go pack. And sleep. I have a long day tomorrow."

He held her hand up to his lips and tenderly kissed it. "Of course."

"Will I see you tomorrow before I leave?" she asked.

"I don't think so. I said all my farewells today," he shook his head regretfully.

She embraced him in a comfortable hug. "Good night, Zuko. And if I don't see you tomorrow, goodbye."

His hand cradled the back of her head. "Good night, Katara."

She slowly exited the hug and left the garden.

* * *

Katara wished it didn't take so long to get to the South Pole by boat. She wished she could ride on Appa and get there in a quarter of the time. She wished she had packed more parchment. She wished she could simply live in the Fire Nation and the South Pole at the same time.

Wishing didn't improve her mood.

Hakoda didn't know what to do with his semi-moping daughter, and Sokka didn't know what to do with his hormonal sister. Suki was intuitive enough to know what was going on, but didn't pester her about it. She simply gave her a hug and a smile, which Katara deeply appreciated. Her sister-in-law was someone who understood trying to live in two places at once.

The boat finally arrived back at the South Pole. Katara gathered her things and shuffled off the boat. She was greeted by Kanna and Pakku. "Hi, Gran Gran," she said somewhat lazily.

"Oh, Dearie, you look exhausted," Kanna noted as she hooked her arm into Katara's. "Let's take you home."

Katara simply nodded and let her Gran Gran lead her to the developing village. The Chief's residence was in the center of town, along with a small meeting hall, infirmary, and armory, which were all Master Pakku's idea. Most people fended for themselves and didn't require buying much, so there were scarcely any shops, though the villagers would barter goods if they had extra.

Katara had a room to herself, and so did Sokka and Suki. When she arrived at her room, she gave Kanna a short hug. "Thanks, Gran Gran."

"It's good to have you back, little one," Kanna replied calmly.

Katara was torn in two. "It's good _be_ back," she said dryly before bidding her Gran Gran a good night, slowly closing the door, and plopping onto the bed with her day clothes still on.

* * *

 _Zuko,_

 _We finally made it back home. It hadn't changed much in the two weeks my family was gone. Master Pakku really knows how to keep things going. If it weren't for him, I don't think we would have made much progress in our restoration efforts. You should come see it. It's pretty different from what it looked like last time you were here. I live in the center of town, and we're slowly expanding outwards. Unfortunately, a good number of our new waterbenders from the north are still fairly novice, so they have trouble erecting their houses. I have to go out pretty much every day and help people keep their homes upright. At least we're not wanting for food. The summer months are nice to our wildlife._

 _I hope all is well over there. Tell Uncle I miss him. Please write soon_ _._

 _Love,_

 _Katara_

With established trade routes, Katara was able to receive and respond to Zuko's letters about once per month. She would find things to pass the time. Master Pakku was getting too fragile to help much with the waterbending, so she and some waterbenders from the North did most of the building and repairing of homes. She was also one of the primary healers in the infirmary. Whenever someone would get attacked during a hunt, or catch burns from campfires, or get frostbite, she was always the first person they would go to. She had a lot on her plate, and she was ashamed to say that oftentimes, she would be late sending her letter off to Zuko. A few weeks after she sent her first letter, she got a response.

 _Katara,_

 _Uncle misses you, too. Things are admittedly a mess over here. After everyone left the summit, the servants had a lot of cleaning to do, and the palace was in wild commotion for a good week. Things have settled a bit now, but we keep finding more furniture to rearrange or spills to wipe up. Some of the nobles come up to me and tell me what a lousy summit I hosted. I simply tell them that if they want to do it better, they can do it themselves. With a different choice of words, of course. I guess some things never change._

 _In other words, nothing unusual here._

 _It's good to see you are doing well._

 _I miss you,_

 _Zuko_

These exchanges happened consistently for nearly six months, arriving on time as expected.

 _Zuko,_

 _A new development started a few weeks ago. Some of the families that moved here from the North have been moving to the Earth Kingdom. Apparently, they want to grow farms and orchards, and they're frustrated that they can't do that here. I'm sad to see them leave. I thought I was making more friends, but I guess they don't see it the same way. (I can hear Sokka behind me saying, "Who needs vegetables, anyway?")_

 _Oh, guess what! Suki is pregnant! I'm so excited for her. I've helped deliver babies before, and I know it will just be so special when her time comes. She really is like a sister to me._

 _I'm sorry about your noblemen. I hear they can be real sticklers._

 _I love you,_

 _Katara_

Nearly one month later, she got a lovely response in the form of a small package of tea bags. A note was attached to the inside of the package, and an amateur sketch of a turtleduck caught her eye.

 _Katara,_

 _I know your birthday is coming up. I hope your special day goes well for you. I thought about sending you that turtleduck that you said goodbye to on your last night here. But then I remembered that the tundra wouldn't be nice for him, so he's staying here. Please accept this drawing as an apology. Girls like cute drawings, right? Feel free to show it to Suki. I don't know if she's being ornery or hormonal, but the drawing might help her calm down. She's a true warrior, and a scary one when she has to be. My noblemen are weaklings compared to her._

 _That's a real shame about your people leaving. I'm sure it halts progress down there._

 _My uncle literally sends his regards. He hopes you enjoy the Jasmine tea._

 _Love,_

 _Zuko_

Within an hour of receiving the letter, Katara made tea. She couldn't help but remember the times she could simply drink tea and relax. It was almost a pastime, one that she would gladly relive. She thought of Iroh and his unabashed love for the drink. She thought of how nice it must be for him to live in the Fire Nation and drink tea all the time. He would be appalled that they didn't drink tea in the South Pole, mainly because there was nothing to brew.

 _Dear Zuko,_

 _Tell your uncle "thank you" for the tea. It's been too long since I've had any. You and Uncle should come down to the South Pole sometime. I bet he would be in cahoots when he tries to drink the tea we have here. (As in, we don't have tea here. Don't tell him that, or he'll never visit.) What do you say to coming over? Sokka and Suki have their own hut now. I showed her your drawing. She's surprisingly mellow for a pregnant woman, and she loved it. We had our winter festival a few weeks ago. Even Aang came and brought Toph with him. You were the only one missing._

 _Send my regards to the turtleduck. I hope to see you soon._

 _I love you,_

 _Katara_

Katara sent off her letter. She filled her duties per usual. She attended to the infirmary per usual. She gossiped with Suki per usual. The month after sending the letter was nothing unordinary.

It was the weeks of no response that worried her. One week late. Two weeks late. One month late.

Was it something she said?


	5. Thoughtfulness

**Day 5: Crystals**

V: Thoughtfulness

The wait was terrifying. Had something happened to Zuko? Was he offended at something she wrote? Was her letter intercepted? Wondering only made her more anxious, and her anxiety gave her too many unpleasant ideas.

One month and two days. That's how long Zuko's letter was overdue. This time, when the letter finally arrived, it was among a stack of letters, all penned to different people. Hakoda got one, which he said had something to do with the international reparation effort that the Fire Nation was heading. But one letter was addressed to Sokka, and one was addressed to Suki. Sokka told her that his letter from Zuko was a sad excuse of a directive to eat more vegetables. Suki said hers was a congratulatory letter. All were apparently from Zuko. Katara was suspicious why he would send a letter to everyone, and if they really said what people were telling her they said. She wondered if he was simply making up for the lack of letters to her.

She soon found out the whole truth when she read Zuko's letter for her:

 _Katara,_

 _First, I want you to know that I immensely regret the tardiness of this letter. I would never intend to make you worry, and I'm sure I did just that. I didn't draw another turtleduck for you, but I do have an explanation._

 _A few weeks ago, about the time I received your last letter, there was an enormous earthquake in the Fire Nation. Many homes were destroyed, and many lives are lost, in both senses of the word. I was sitting in my office when a stone from the ceiling hit my arm. I could not write to you, and I deeply apologize. I'm afraid my first duty is to my nation, and I am doing everything in my power to aid my people._

 _Which is another reason I am writing to you. Come to the Fire Nation. After the earthquake, our hospitals have been full and our doctors short on supply. I know of no one better to heal hurts than you. I am at wits end. Please, will you come help me restore my country? I would not ask this of you if I knew you were not up to it._

 _I apologize this letter could not have come without urgency._

 _See you soon._

 _Love,_

 _Zuko_

"Oh, Spirits," Katara added after she read the letter out loud to her family. They all nodded, silently agreeing and allowing her to make her decision. Of course she would go help her friend. She was unfortunately too familiar with the agony that follows when disaster strikes. She couldn't stand idly by, watching people suffer, when she knew she could help.

Hakoda rested a hand on her shoulder. "I'll go tell the trade boat captain not to leave yet. You better hurry and pack your things."

Katara quickly hugged him in relief. "Thanks, Dad," she said as he let go and walked out of the house.

It was Suki's turn to hug her, if awkwardly due to her bulging stomach. "You always do the right thing," she smiled and held Katara's hand.

"I'll miss you," Katara smiled back. She could feel tears surfacing. "I don't know how long I'll be gone. Don't have that baby without me, you hear?"

Suki nodded and pulled away. Sokka hugged Katara next. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do. And be sure to have lots of fire flakes for me," he sternly told her while grinning.

"Sokka, I'm going so that I can heal people, not to indulge," she reminded him.

"Yeah, okay," he said as he huddled them all into a group hug. "Bye, Sis."

"Bye," Katara choked out as she wiped her eyes.

She found herself nearly sprinting to her room. She packed a few changes of clothes and her water skins and other basic necessities. In no time at all, she was at the dock. She caught sight of her father talking to the captain. Hugging her father one last time, she was ready to leave. She boarded, and the boat ventured forth away from the harbor.

* * *

Katara shouldn't have been surprised by the Fire Nation capital's state of disarray. Yet there she was, standing in the middle of town, gaping at the collapsed structures surrounding her. Only about half of the buildings were still standing, and having trouble at that. Piles of wood and stone were muddled together, remnants of what once were houses, shops, eateries, and schools. She had an idea of where the nearest hospital was, so that's where she headed. The building was somewhat standing, but the roof had caved in slightly, and its windows were shattered. She saw people on cots, people on the floor, and nurses and doctors running amok busying themselves. She slowly walked in.

"Are you here to help or here to be helped?" a nearby nurse hastily asked Katara.

"Here to help," Katara gestured to her water skins. "I'm a waterbender. I have healing abilities."

"Good," the nurse replied. She didn't seem to care that Katara was a waterbender. She pointed to a half-naked man in a nearby cot. He had what looked like a broken leg and he had bruises all over his torso. "There's your first patient."

Katara nodded at the nurse and hurried over to the man. She thought she recognized him, but couldn't place from where. She gloved her hands with water and began to work on his leg. He stirred and looked at her.

"Miss Katara?" he asked.

She started and caught his gaze. "You know who I am?"

"Of course I know who you are. You'd have to go to the ends of the earth and then some to find someone who didn't." He sighed. "You wouldn't remember me. I'm just a guard."

Realization struck. It was the guard that had guided the Southern Water Tribe entourage during the summit. "Jori?!"

"Hi," he replied.

"I thought I recognized you. It's hard to place faces when I'm so used to seeing them under a helmet. What's your story?"

"Oh, you know," he waved his hands as he told his experience. "It was my shift at the palace gate when it happened. The ground started shaking, so naturally I held onto the pillar of the gate for balance. That was dumb," he held his bruised torso as he chuckled. "It fell on me. It broke my leg, and I had to be carried here."

Katara shook her head. "That's awful. I'm so sorry." She heard someone walk through the door.

He shrugged. "Could be worse." His eyes widened as he saw something behind her. "Oh, lookie. Greetings, Fire Lord." He held his hands in a Fire Nation bow but had obvious trouble actually bowing.

Katara snapped her head to look behind her. Zuko's eyes caught hers before he answered the fallen guard. "Jori, I see you have found a new doctor."

"Yes, My Lord. The very best. I can already feel my leg getting back to normal."

Zuko nodded. "I believe it. Unfortunately, I need to take her away for the rest of the day."

"No," Katara glared at Zuko. "I just got here. You know I can't just leave him here like this." She turned her attention back to Jori's leg. She could barely see Zuko stiffen behind her.

"It's all right, Princess. I've lasted this long, I'm sure I can last another day," the guard assured her.

She eyed him with confusion. "What did you call me?

"You're not a princess? You sure fit the part," Jori replied.

Zuko cleared his throat from behind her. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "I need to speak with you. In private," he urged.

Katara looked at Jori once again. "Are you sure you'll be all right without me?"

"Quite sure," the guard nodded. "Your help has not gone to waste."

"Okay," Katara said as she put the water back into her pouch. She stood up and started following Zuko out the door. "I'll see you later, then," she waved to Jori.

He waved back, and she left the hospital with Zuko.

They walked to what remained of the palace. The gates and fences were crumbled on the ground. Outside doors were sagging under the new weight of now unsupported stone walls. Pottery from the shrubbery had broken open, splaying the soil inside. A few servants, some wearing slings and bandages, were spotted organizing debris.

Katara was both amazed and uneasy. "Zuko," she started as they walked inside, "I'm so sorry this happened."

"It's not your fault, Katara. I'm just glad you're here to help make things whole again." Zuko responded, taking her hand. He led her to the private dining hall. "Please, eat. You must be hungry."

She curled her lip. "Only if I must. I don't want to be feasting while your people starve."

He shook his head, smirking. "I knew you would say that. But I insist. We had a greater-than-average harvest this last fall, so my people are being adequately fed."

"Are you sure your noblemen aren't lying to you?" she pestered.

Zuko stared off in another direction, pondering. "I know my people, Katara. Ever since the earthquake, I walk around the city every day, making a roster, of sorts. I take inventory of which establishments are still doing well, which are completely collapsed, which hospitals are most overrun, which neighborhoods need the most cleanup, and so forth. I've seen my people in action. Their food stores have not suffered much. They're quite good at fending for themselves."

"That's good to hear. I think I'll eat, then," Katara smiled and squeezed his hand before letting go to sit at the table. A servant wearing a bandage around his shoulder brought her a plate of food. "Thank you," she nodded at him.

Zuko also received a plate, and they ate in relative silence.

When Katara was almost done with her food, she finally spoke. "So, when you came to the hospital today, did you know I was there, or did you just happen to show up during your daily walk?"

He looked up at her, swallowing his mouthful of noodles. "I was doing my walk around town. I'd known you had arrived at the Fire Nation, since the captain of the trade boat informed my dockworkers, who had sent the message to me. I was confused why you didn't come right to the palace to say 'hello', but then I remembered that you are you, and I would probably find you helping out in one of the hospitals. That hospital was the third one I visited today, looking for you."

" _Three_ hospitals?" She was more perplexed at that idea than if he'd told her badgerfrogs could fly. "Most towns don't even have _one_ hospital, and you have _three_?"

Zuko shrugged. "It's a big city. Although I suppose I shouldn't tell you that that doesn't include the infirmary in the palace…"

She relaxed her posture, hitting her back against her chair. "I'm going to be very busy while I'm here, aren't I?"

"Afraid so," he replied, pushing aside his now empty plate and standing up. "Let's find you a room to stay in."

"Okay," she took his offered hand and let him lead her out of the dining hall. They started going down some hallways that were unfamiliar to her. "Where are we going? These aren't the guest rooms I remember."

"These aren't the guest halls," he said nonchalantly. "These are the royal quarters."

"Royal quarters? I don't belong here, and you know it," she remarked, letting go of his hand.

His face flattened. "Katara, it's literally just Uncle and I living in these halls. And he's in Ba Sing Se half of the time. Believe me, you won't be intruding on anything. You're like family to me anyway." He finally stopped at a large door and opened it for her. "Here, you can stay in this room."

"Whose room is it?" she asked as she walked in.

A warm hand met her shoulder. "It's yours now."

Katara simply nodded. "Thanks. I, um, suppose I'll get washed up now. I can tell I stink of ocean."

Zuko wrinkled his nose in jest. "Yes, you do."

She lightly smacked his arm.

"Ow," his face contorted into something much less playful.

Then Katara remembered. "Oh, Spirits, was that your bad arm? I'm so sorry, Zuko! Gah, I'm an idiot. Here, let me fix it." Her hands reached up to gently stroke and observe his arm.

"Katara," he pulled his arm back. "It's fine. Simple mistake. I'll let you get cleaned up. My room is the next room down. Come get me when you're done?"

She started shutting the door and waved goodbye at him. "Okay. I'll be right there." The door closed and she turned around, taking in the room. Pretty though it was, it was not an exception to the destruction that happened in the rest of the palace. The windows were shattered, the stone in the floor was torn apart in about seven places, and the door to the washroom had been crushed and broken off entirely.

She made her way to the cracked tub and turned the faucet handle. The tub started filling with dirty water, so she waited it out until it came out cleaner. She took off her smelly travelling clothes and dipped into the water. It was cold, but she didn't mind. There was a small bar of soap on the edge of the tub, and she scrubbed and scrubbed her hair and skin until it was almost raw. She got out, bending the water away, and put her dirty clothes in the tub and washed them with the same soap. Once she was done in the washroom, she opened the tote she brought with her and pulled out a fresh pair of wrappings and a casual dress. She put the clothes on, heading off to Zuko's room.

Her hands timidly knocked on the door. "Zuko?"

"Come in," he replied.

She walked in, quickly noticing that his room was in better repair than hers. Perhaps since somebody actually lived in it, it was given more care. Zuko sat on the edge of his bed, wearing a simple tunic and trousers. He patted the bed next to him. "Hi."

"Hi," she said as she walked over and sat down.

"I didn't get to properly greet you when you arrived today," he noted.

She rested a hand on his knee. "What a tragedy. I'm so ashamed of you," she teased.

"You should be. I feel horrible for taking you away from your family."

"Zuko," she said with more seriousness. "I _chose_ to come here, and you know that. I will always come to your aid."

He sighed and suddenly looked hesitant. "I have to be honest with you, the earthquake and the healing isn't the only reason I asked you to come back to the Fire Nation."

"It isn't?"

"No, uh…" he stood up and started pacing the room, hand on the back of his neck. "I've been doing a lot of thinking. And my councilmen have been doing a lot of thinking. And my uncle has been doing a lot of thinking—"

"It seems the Fire Nation is very thoughtful lately," Katara intercepted.

He stopped pacing to look at her. "Remember in my letter when I asked you to help me restore my country? It wasn't exclusively concerning earthquake casualties." He walked to a dresser and pulled something out. "I have a very big favor to ask of you, and I'm not sure how you'll take it."

"Try me," she challenged. "What do you need?"

He sat back down on the edge of the bed beside her and handed her a small wooden box. He looked away, purposefully avoiding her eyes. "Open it."

Katara turned up the lid and her heart stopped when she saw what was inside. It was a necklace, made of blue silk on one side and red on the other. The pendant in the middle showed a carved Tui and La encircling each other, the eyes represented by green crystals. Her hand instinctively reached up for her own necklace. She knew what he was asking her by giving her this necklace.

"Zuko," she said like a parent asking a child if they did something wrong when she already knew the answer. "Are you sure about this?"

"I have accepted my fate as Fire Lord," he responded, making eye contact once more. "I need to start a family, and I need a wife to do that. The Fire Nation cannot reach its full potential when there is no Fire Lady to rule by my side. There's no one more qualified for the job than you, Katara."

She gazed at the necklace, wide-eyed and unsure of how to answer him. "You made this?"

"Yes," he affirmed.

"When?"

"About two months ago, before the caves in Ba Sing Se were shut down for the winter."

Katara couldn't keep her eyes off the crystals in the pendant. "Ba Sing Se? You don't mean…" she held up the necklace.

"Yes. Those crystals came from the catacombs. I chiseled them myself." He was finally able to catch her eye.

She hugged him around his neck, burrowing her head in his shoulder. "I love it. I love it so much. It's perfect."

"Is…that a yes?" he asked.

"No," she said as she pulled away from him. She gave a breathy chuckle. "No, I need to think about it. This is a big decision." She kissed him lightly on the cheek before she realized something. "Wait. My father is supposed to give you permission before you ask for my hand."

"About that," he looked up at her and held her hand. "I already did that. That was in the letter I included to him when I sent you the letter about the earthquake. The trade boat captain sent the message along that your father gave me his blessing."

"Oh." She knew there was something suspicious about that letter to Hakoda.

He indicated to the necklace still in her hand. "You hold on to that, and tell me your answer when you're ready. But from what I've heard, you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow. Better get some sleep."

"Right," she lightly kissed him again, this time on the lips. "Good night, Zuko," she said as she made her way to the door.

He followed her and before she could leave, held her arm and spun her around to kiss her with longing and tenderness. "I love you," he whispered when the kiss broke.

"I love you, too," she replied before letting go of his hand and heading back to her room.

Needless to say, Katara's racing thoughts kept her wide awake far into the night.


	6. Reparation

**Day 6: Bloodbending**

VI: Reparation

Katara woke to the sun rising on her face and cursed that her cracked windows faced East. She still didn't know what to think about what happened the night before. She loved Zuko, yes, but marriage? Age of consent in the South Pole was sixteen, so she was far from physically or lawfully unable to get married. Sure, she'd had fantasies about a powerful bender sweeping her off her feet, taking her along as they saved the day together. She'd dreamed about one day settling down and starting a family, raising waterbenders and teaching them how to become masters themselves. She'd always wanted to make a difference not only in others' lives, but in her own. She wanted to always be the first one to come to someone's aid. Men in the South tended to be intimidated by her and her renown and sense of duty. Most wanted someone slightly more subservient, which was something she would refuse to concede to, so she had a difficult time courting back home.

She realized that everything she'd dreamed of, everything she thought wouldn't be a possibility, was more or less offered by Zuko when he handed her that box. He was a powerful bender. With him, she could settle down and raise a family. She imagined children, some that could waterbend, and some that could firebend, and she and Zuko would teach them together. She would be helping Zuko lead the Fire Nation, which in turn would aid all its citizens.

She could visit the hospitals every day. Her waterbending gave her unique skills that others in the Fire Nation simply couldn't match. Better yet, when it was a full moon, her healing powers were accentuated by her bloodbending. On normal days, she would mend cuts, restore some burned tissue, put back together some broken limbs, or massage bruises. But on nights when the moon was large and high in the sky, she could do so much more. She could repair vital organs, heal serious gashes without tourniquets, and even restore lost heartbeats.

The thought of healing was what finally made Katara get up and get ready for the day. She was needed elsewhere, not lounging around in bed.

She made sure her new necklace was secure in her pocket before heading off to greet Zuko. When she got to his room, she knocked politely and asked to come in.

The door opened before her and Zuko appeared. He was already in his royal robes and wore his hair in a perfect topknot. "Good morning," he smiled at her.

"Good morning," she said as she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Take me to the nearest hospital."

"A little demanding this morning, aren't we?" Zuko replied. "How about we start with you coming with me on my city rounds today? We'll stop by one of the hospitals on the way back."

Her shoulders sagged. "Fine."

"Very good." He kissed the top of her head. "This way."

The first of many broken buildings they stopped at was an old cloth store. Parts of its four walls were broken or gone, and there were splinters everywhere. This store was apparently one of the lucky ones. The next stop was a tea shop. The building looked fine from the outside. But when they went inside, they found that all of the owner's teacups and plates had broken, so they lost business not being able to serve tea. Zuko told the owner that he would personally have teacups sent from the Jasmine Dragon. His uncle would be more than happy to aid a fellow tea shop.

They then decided to walk through some residential neighborhoods. Or, rather, what barely passed for a residential neighborhood. People had made makeshift lean-to shelters as they tried to organize the rubble of their own homes. Katara was disheartened that so many people had to be displaced because of an earthquake. Zuko simply took note of the conditions and moved on.

Finally, he led her to the hospital that was en route. "Here we are," he said as he opened the door and guided her inside.

An elderly woman came up to him and bowed. "Fire Lord Zuko, it is an honor." She gave Katara a polite grin and looked back at Zuko. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing. In fact, I want to introduce you to someone. Misa, meet Katara, a dear friend of mine. Katara, this is Misa, the owner of this hospital."

Misa held out her hand and Katara shook it. "Pleased to meet you," Katara beamed.

"Likewise," the old woman said. "What brings you here?"

Katara patted her water skin. "I have healing abilities. I'd like to lend my help here."

"Oh dear, how generous of you. You are most welcome. Fire Lord Zuko, I must ask where you found this one? I like her already," Misa turned her attention to Zuko.

"I'm afraid that's a long story," Zuko replied. "Though, I have to agree with you; she is quite likeable," he winked at Katara.

Katara's face flushed, and the air felt awkward to her. Eventually, she composed herself and straightened her shoulders. "Misa," she demanded. "Put me to work."

* * *

Katara labored all day in that hospital. There was always someone who needed more healing. Most of the patients were dealing with broken bones, old scrapes, or intense bruising. Their injuries were weeks old. She had to clear out her fair share of infections, and set right the bones that had started to heal incorrectly. The hospital was just as full as the one she went to on her first day back in the Fire Nation. There were two stories to this hospital, but the floor of the second story had partly fallen through, so there weren't as many people upstairs. The ground floor had too many people for how many beds there were, so people either shared a bed or went without.

Not only did Katara work all day, but she worked far into the night as well. She probably should have gone back to the palace and gotten some food and some rest. For some reason, however, she couldn't stay away. Hungry and exhausted, she fell asleep next to a patient bed.

She followed this pattern for five days straight. Zuko would come to her every day, practically begging her to get some food and some rest in the palace, and every day she would turn away his offer.

Despite this, Katara was beyond tired. Her arms and legs were sore, she had a stiff neck, she was in desperate need of a bath, she fought off hunger every day, and she was running on about four hours of sleep during the nights. Misa would give her food to eat and water to drink throughout the day, but Katara would barely touch it. Eating simply took too much time, and Katara had patients to see.

On the sixth day, she seriously debated with herself to accept Zuko's offer to stay in the palace. But she didn't, and for one reason: it was going to be a full moon that night. Her energy would be replenished, making her readier than ever to heal the more serious devastations in that hospital. There were too many people who literally needed her to mend their broken heart, and she could give it to them. Only then would she allow herself to leave.

Night came, and Katara could already feel the energy flow through her veins as the full moon began to rise. It was finally time to make a difference in this hospital.

The more serious cases were in the back of the room. She made her way there with a renewed vigor. The first patient she went to was a teenage girl, just a few years younger than Katara. Her lungs had collapsed during the earthquake and were still far from healed. She had some internal bleeding that needed intense repair. Her breaths were shallow and full of hitches.

Katara sat beside her and leaned over as she uncorked her water skin. "What's your name?"

"Shuna," the girl replied. "What's yours?"

"I'm Katara."

Shuna eyed Katara up and down, and then furrowed her brows. "You're a waterbender?"

"Yes," Katara could sense the girl's uneasiness. "I can heal your lungs, if you'll let me."

"I suppose it's worth a shot. I'll probably die here, anyway. My father died by the hands of a waterbender; perhaps I will, too," Shuna rocked her head side-to-side.

Katara couldn't help but feel bad for the girl in front of her. Shuna was supposed to trust her life to this person whose kin had ended the life of her family. Katara softly smiled with empathy. "Well, my mother died by the hands of a firebender, so I think that makes us even," she said with tenderness.

Shuna smiled back, taking care not to breathe too hard. "Yeah, I guess so. Show me what you've got, then."

"Okay, but just a word of warning," Katara started, "it will feel slightly unnerving. You'll just need to trust me."

The girl before her sighed and relaxed into her cot. "I'm ready."

Katara slowly clenched her hands, remotely searching for the blood in Shuna's lungs. She caught hold of damaged tissue, and she was able to send new blood to the area, sealing up the cells. She increased the blood flow through the lung structures, causing them to expand. Shuna winced slightly as she watched the movement of her chest being orchestrated by something other than herself.

"Your diaphragm was also slightly damaged," Katara noted, still focusing on her bloodbending. "That's why you've been having trouble breathing. The diaphragm is what allows air circulation in the lungs, and when the diaphragm is torn, the air pressure in your lungs goes down significantly."

Shuna's eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"I can feel it. I'm directing the blood as we speak."

"That's terrifying and bizarre at the same time," the girl replied.

Katara organized the last patches of tissue to knit together, fully repairing the girl's lungs and diaphragm. "Done. Try to breathe, but take it slow for now."

Shuna nervously took a deep breath. She put her hand to her chest, as if trying to actually feel the organs inside. She slowly exhaled, and the breath came out smoothly. "Wow," she softly chuckled. "I can't believe it."

"How does it feel?" Katara asked.

"Strange, but good," the girl sat up and shook her head. "I've been breathing so poorly for so long, it was practically normal. I was used to it. Now that I can breathe fully again, it's almost too different. But not a bad different." She hesitated and looked at Katara. "What was it you were doing?"

"Bloodbending," was the reply. "It's an extremely specialized form of waterbending. I can only do it when the moon is full, which it happens to be at the moment."

Shuna shook her head again, incredulous. "Is it illegal?"

Katara looked down at her feet. "No, although it probably should be. But then, I wouldn't have been able to heal you like I did just now, so I'm conflicted. It can be used for good, but it can also be used to seriously hurt someone."

"Well I'm glad you're using it for good. Thanks, Katara. You seem like the kind of person who can do some major damage."

The waterbender patted her hand and stood up, faintly smiling. "I'm glad too. You take care, Shuna."

"You too," Shuna said as Katara made her way to another patient.

Katara saw half a dozen patients that night, each ending up with similar results. They were suffering, and were skeptical that Katara could heal them from the inside out. But eventually, they would let her, and she would both amaze and alarm them. When Katara was finished, she felt fulfilled. She had finally made a difference to the once-bedridden lives in that hospital. Now exhausted yet satisfied, she decided she could leave.

On her way out the door, she nabbed some food that Misa had laid out for her, and quietly left. She meandered back to the palace. She walked right past her own room. It was the middle of the night; she didn't think Zuko would be awake, but she at least wanted to check, so that she could bid him a good night. She knocked on his door, which was soon opened by Zuko. She simply stood there, bleary eyed and completely drained. She was sure she looked terrible. She didn't care. She waved at Zuko and waltzed in. Her energy was now empty and all she wanted was a bed. She found one, in the middle of his room. Standing by the bed, she sagged her shoulders and climbed on, falling face-first onto the covers. It took her only a few even breaths until sleep completely knocked her out.


	7. Dawning

**Day 7: Element Swap**

VII: Dawning

"Katara, you need to wake up," Zuko's voice rang around her. Her shoulder was being prodded, and she opened her eyes to gather her bearings. She was lying on top of a bed in an unfamiliar room. Brushing hair away from her face, she sat up.

"Where…?" Katara looked around and finally caught the gaze of the firebender before her. "Oh."

"Good morning," Zuko replied, hovering over her with his hands behind his back. He suppressed a laugh. "Or should I say, 'Good Afternoon'?"

The waterbender slapped her hand to her forehead and stared blankly at the floor. "What time is it? How long was I out?"

Zuko helped her off of the bed. "It's midday. You were fast asleep the whole morning." He folded his arms together in consternation. "Do you know how aggravating you've been all week? First, you won't come to the palace to eat or sleep or bathe, and all of a sudden you come by in the middle of the night last night and pass out _on my bed_?"

"I know, I'm sorry. I was just…" Katara fought her sleepy brain for something to say. "I got carried away bloodbending and just got so tired. I wanted to see you, and the bed looked so comfy…"

Zuko dropped his head and sighed. "Katara," he brought his head back up, resting his hands on her shoulders and looking her straight in the eyes. "I care about my people just as much as you do. But I also care about _you_. You need to take care of yourself."

She nodded before falling into his chest in a hug. "I'll try."

"Thank you for coming back to the palace," he said as his hand reached up to massage the back of her head. "And just so you know, I'm instituting a new ground rule. You don't get to sleep on or in my bed unless you're wearing that necklace I gave you."

She pulled back and pouted at him. "You're no fun."

"Yes, well, you know Uncle would simply go berserk if he saw anything," he replied, kissing her forehead.

"Is he here?"

Zuko shook his head and pursed his lips. "No, but he will be soon. I wrote to him in Ba Sing Se, and he'll be here in a few days. I was worried sick about you, so I asked him to come knock some sense into you."

"Zuko, I'm fine," she put her hands on her hips. "I got plenty of sleep last night and—" the sound of her grumbling stomach cut her off. She groaned in resignation.

Zuko grabbed her hand and led her to the door. "Let's get you some food."

* * *

They sat quietly in his office. He was attending to paperwork, and she was reading a book she'd found in the library. They'd been following a routine for the past two days. She would wake up, be beckoned for breakfast, go with Zuko on his daily stroll through the city, and come back and sit in his office until nightfall. She got the impression that he was simply trying to keep tabs on her, stopping her from exhausting herself as she had the week before. It was frankly restricting, and she got frustrated at the lack of freedom. She did enjoy the books and histories she was reading about, but she felt completely useless.

After a few hours, she'd had enough. "May I please visit the infirmary?"

Zuko put down his pen. "You can do what you want, Katara."

"Apparently not, since I've been nothing but mothered for the past two days," she mumbled.

"Katara," he snapped, his voice harsher than normal, "you're not my prisoner here. You're my guest."

She huffed and picked up her book, getting ready to get out as quickly as possible. "Fine. I'm leaving, then. I'll be in the infirmary, making a difference, and not in here being a waste of space."

"Fine!" he retorted. "Wear yourself out. But don't come crawling back to me when you're passed out from working yourself too hard."

She gave him one last rigid glare before stomping to the door. She opened it, and was surprised to see Iroh standing there patiently. It was obvious in his face that he'd heard the outbursts coming from the room.

"Former General Iroh," she strained. She avoided his gaze.

"Miss Katara, how convenient you're here. I need to speak with you." He glanced at Zuko. "Both of you," he said while ushering her back into the room and closing the door.

Iroh pulled up two chairs to Zuko's desk. Katara sat down, focusing on the stone beneath her feet.

"I understand my nephew has offered you a precious token?" he asked her as he sat down.

Her hand instinctively reached for the bulging pocket in her dress. "Yes." The floor was still fascinating to her eyes.

"And have you not accepted it?"

She shook her head. "Not yet."

He grumbled, not in anger, but in slight disappointment. He glanced at Zuko and back at her. Everyone was clearly tired and not in the mood for this conversation. Zuko was tired of never finding solutions for his crumbling nation. Iroh was tired from his trip. Katara was tired of sitting around being useless.

"Why don't you two go out of town for a little while? You could go to Ember Island. You both need a break," Iroh finally suggested.

"What?" Zuko and Katara spoke at the same time.

"Uncle, I can't just 'take a break' from being Fire Lord."

Iroh scoffed. "Of course you can. I'll be here to watch over things. Your councilmen are capable people. Besides, they need your written permission to do anything, anyway." He leaned over to whisper to Katara. "But between you and me, they probably won't get anything done," he snickered. He was just loud enough for Zuko to hear.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I could probably use the extra space," Katara commented. "It might help me destress."

The Fire Lord looked at her softly. Fighting two-against-one, he knew he wouldn't win this battle. "Okay," he resigned. "We'll head out first thing in the morning."

Iroh clapped his hands together. "Excellent. I'll inform the captain."

Katara sighed before she got up, nodded at Iroh and Zuko, and left the room. She silently prayed that this "trip" wouldn't make things worse than they already were.

* * *

The boat ride only lasted a few hours before it met with the shore of Ember Island. Katara found that being out on the open ocean really lifted her spirits. She would bend shapes in the water as the boat sailed forth. The smell of the ocean is what she missed the most. She was finally in her element, and she took comfort in the sea before her.

When they landed, Zuko and Katara waved goodbye to the captain and hauled their luggage to the Fire Lord's beach house. The sand was warm and welcoming in Katara's toes. The weather was perfect. It was Spring in the Fire Nation, and the beach was littered with flowering trees and sparkling waters. Katara was already grateful she took up Iroh's offer to come to the island.

They got to the house and set their things inside. Katara picked a room across the hall from Zuko. They exited their rooms at the same time. "I'm going to the beach. See you there?" Katara asked.

Zuko nodded. "I'll be right there."

Katara left the house and trampled through the sand to the water. She slid out of her dress and entered the water in her wrappings. She floated on her back and spread out her arms, relishing in the cool water around her.

"Katara," Zuko called to her. She spotted him shirtless near the water's edge, holding a small bucket. He had also brought a pile of firewood. He waved her over. "I want to show you something."

She swam to the shore and gazed at the bucket. "What's that for?"

He grinned and sat down, shoveling handfuls of sand into the bucket. "There's this thing we used to do when we took summer vacations here." He patted the bucket's contents tight and flipped it over. He lifted the bucket away, and out came a smooth plateau of dense sand.

"Neat," Katara said as she sat next to him.

"Want to help me build a sand castle?" he asked.

"I feel like that's a job for Toph," she teased.

He smirked at her and filled the bucket again. "It is. But you'll have to suffice."

"Hey," she scoffed, "give me that. I'll show you the best sand castle you've ever seen."

"Prove it," he challenged her while handing her the bucket.

They spent a good half hour building their castle, perfecting its parapets and smoothing out a moat around it. The sky started to darken while Katara was forming little sand people with her hands. Zuko arranged the firewood and started a small campfire, then made his way into the water. The waves gently threatened the castle every few seconds, but Katara would protect it by whisking the water away.

An unusually large wave caught her unawares and sunk the castle, making it collapse under the water's grasp. "Aw, crud," Katara mumbled. She stared at the campfire for a short while until she got an idea. She grabbed two logs on their non-burning side and started swirling them around. "Hey, look Zuko," she called to the floating man in the water. "I'm a firebender."

She practiced swordfighting motions with the flaming logs, jabbing this way and that, fire trailing behind each gesture. She made 'whoosh' sounds, and she realized she was beginning to sound and act like Sokka. She didn't care. She was having fun.

Zuko ambled out of the water and grabbed the bucket. He dipped the bucket into the water, and when it was full, grinned maliciously at her. "Yes, and I'm a waterbender," he said as he lurched the bucket within his grasp, causing the water to fly in an arch towards her and extinguish the flames of the logs she was holding.

She gaped at him. "Jerkbender."

"Peasant."

They couldn't stop giving each other smug looks. Zuko stepped closer to her. His golden eyes bore down on her. "Fight me," he provoked.

She dropped her logs and crossed her arms about her chest, her heart racing at the sudden proximity. "Maybe I will."

"Do it." He held out a palm and produced a small flame. He gave her a sly smile.

"I would," she started as she found herself tiptoeing even closer. His warmth was persuasive. "But I wouldn't want to embarrass the Fire Lord by upstaging him."

He finally grabbed hold of her waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Trust me. Fighting isn't something I'm _weak_ at."

A shiver went down her spine and heat flowed through her body at the same time. She wrapped her arms around his neck and copied his whisper. "I bet I can guess one of your weaknesses." She pulled back and shoved her lips onto his.

The passion in the kiss was maddening, and the buildup was absolutely worth it. Zuko returned the kiss, adding even more fervor in the contact. She felt his hands trailing up and down her waist and all around her back. She reciprocated by gripping the back of his head and caressing his cheek. Excitement coursed through her, and she couldn't stop kissing him.

"Let's go inside," Katara was finally able to gasp.

Zuko cupped her face in his hands. "All right."

They quickly picked up their dropped clothes and aimed for the house. Katara headed to the room she was staying in, and Zuko followed her, stopping her in the hallway. "You know my rule about my bed," he noted, "but that doesn't mean _your_ bed is off limits."

"That's true," Katara replied, grinning. She rummaged through the dress in her hands, searching for the pockets. Her fingers eventually found the necklace. She slowly lifted it up and dangled it in front of him. The crystals refracted green light about the hall. "But not if I wear this."

His eyes widened in caution. "Are you sure?"

She assured him with a smile as she handed him the necklace and held up her hair. "Put the necklace on me, Zuko."

He hesitated, but gently brought the necklace to her neck and fastened it. "Thank you," he said before kissing her cheek. "For everything."

She dropped her dress to hug him around his torso, and he wrapped his arms around her. "I love you, Zuko. It's only appropriate that I help you restore your nation to its full potential."

"You're not just saying that to get into my bed?" Zuko asked.

"No, I'm telling the truth," she said as she pulled back and got on her tiptoes to touch her forehead to his. "But that's definitely a plus." She smirked and kissed him.

Zuko stepped back into his door. His hand fumbled for the doorknob, and the door opened up behind him. They entered his room, stuck in their embrace.

They would wake up together the next morning, the first of many brand new days – the dawn of a long and happy reign of the Fire Lord and his Fire Lady.

* * *

 **That's a wrap! Thank you to everyone who followed/favorited/reviewed. I'll be honest, this day's prompt was trickier for me to implement, and it's pretty subtle, but I still had fun with it! And I hope you all had fun reading my contribution to Zutara Week. It seriously means a lot to me that this story even got views in the first place. You guys are awesome readers in an awesome fandom. Thanks for coming along this journey with me.**

 **Take care, everyone. Long live Zutara. ;)**

 **-Sparky1834**


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